Embryologic development of a mouse sympathetic ganglion in vivo and in vitro

The morphologic and biochemical development of the embryonic mouse superior cervical ganglion was characterized in vivo and in tissue culture. From 13 days of gestation, when the superior cervical ganglion was first visible, to birth at 19 days, tyrosine hydroxylase [tyrosine 3-monooxygenase; L-tyrosine, tetrahydropteridine:oxygen oxidoreductase (3-hydroxylating); EC 1.14.16.2] activity increased 100-fold in vivo. Explants of ganglia from 14-day embryos exhibited abundant neurite outgrowth in basal medium without added nerve growth factor (NGF), and increases in tyrosine hydroxylase activity paralleled that observed in vivo. Ganglia from 14-day embryos elaborated neurites and exhibited 3-fold increases in enzyme activity in vitro in the presence of antiserum to NGF (anti-NGF) or NGF + anti-NGF. In direct contrast, ganglia from 18-day fetuses failed to grow without added NGF or in medium containing anti-NGF or NGF + anti-NGF: virtually no axon outgrowth occurred and tyrosine hydroxylase activity decreased by half. These observations suggest that developmental regulatory mechanisms change radically during embryologic and fetal life of mammalian superior cervical ganglion.